“I will therefore that men
pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In
like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with
shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing
godliness) with good works.”

“When thou prayest,” saith Christ, “thou shalt
not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of
men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray
to thy Father, which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in
secret, shall reward thee openly.” (Matt. vi. 5,
6.)
What then says Paul? “I will therefore that men pray everywhere,
lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” This is not
contrary to the other, God forbid, but quite in harmony with it. But
how, and in what way? We must first consider what means, “enter
into thy closet,” and why Christ commands this, if we are to pray
in every place? or whether we may not pray in the church, nor in any
other part of the house, but the closet? What then means that saying?
Christ is recommending us to avoid ostentation, when He bids us offer
our prayers not only privately, but secretly. For, when He says,
“Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth”
(Matt.
vi. 3.), it is not the hands that He considers, but He is bidding them
use the utmost caution against ostentation: and He is doing the like
here; He did not limit prayer to one place, but required one thing
alone, the absence of vainglory. The object of Paul is to distinguish
the Christian from the Jewish prayers, therefore observe what he says:
“In every place lifting up holy hands,” which was not
permitted the Jews, for they were not allowed to approach God, to
sacrifice and perform their services, elsewhere, but assembling from
all parts of the world in one place, they were bound to perform all
their worship11841184 τὰ τῆς
ἀγιστείας. in the temple.
In opposition to this he introduces his precept, and freeing them from
this necessity, he says in effect, Our ways are not like the Jewish;
for as Christ commanded us to pray for all men because He died for all
men, and I preach these things for all men, so it is good to
“pray everywhere.” Henceforth the consider433ation is not of the
place but of the manner of the prayer; “pray everywhere,”
but “everywhere lift up holy hands.” That is the thing
required. And what is “holy”?11851185 ὁσίους.
Pure. And what is pure? Not washed with water, but free from
covetousness, murder, rapacity, violence, “without wrath and
doubting.” What means this? Who is angry when he prays? It means,
without bearing malice. Let the mind of him that prays be pure, freed
from all passion. Let no one approach God in enmity, or in an unamiable
temper, or with “doubting.” What is “without
doubting”? Let us hear. It implies that we should have no
misgiving but that we shall be heard. For it is said, “whatever
ye ask believing ye shall receive.” (Matt. xxi. 22.) And again,
“when ye stand praying forgive, if ye have aught against any
one.” (Mark xi. 25.) This is to pray
without wrath and doubting. But how can I believe that I shall obtain
my request? By asking nothing opposed to that which He is ready to
grant, nothing unworthy of the great King, nothing worldly, but all
spiritual blessings; if you approach Him “without wrath,”
having pure hands, “holy hands”: hands employed in
almsgiving are holy. Approach Him thus, and you will certainly obtain
your request. “For if ye being evil know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven
give good things to them that ask Him?” (Matt. vii. 11.) By doubting he
means misgiving. In like manner he says, I will that women approach God
without wrath and doubting, lifting up holy hands: that they should not
follow their own desires, nor be covetous or rapacious. For what if a
woman does not rob or steal herself, but does it through means of her
husband? Paul however requires something more of women, that they adorn
themselves “in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;
not with broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly array; But (which
becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” But what
is this “modest apparel”? Such attire as covers them
completely, and decently, not with superfluous ornaments, for the one
is becoming, the other is not.

Moral.
What? Dost thou approach God to pray, with broidered hair and ornaments
of gold? Art thou come to a dance? to a marriage? to a gay procession?
There such a broidery, such costly garments, had been seasonable, here
not one of them is wanted. Thou art come to pray, to supplicate for
pardon of thy sins, to plead for thine offenses, beseeching the Lord,
and hoping to render Him propitious to thee. Why dost thou adorn
thyself? This is not the dress of a suppliant. How canst thou groan?
How canst thou weep? How pray with fervency, when thus attired?
Shouldest thou weep, thy tears will be the ridicule of the beholders.
She that weeps ought not to be wearing gold. It were but acting, and
hypocrisy. For is it not acting to pour forth tears from a soul so
overgrown with extravagance and ambition? Away with such hypocrisy! God
is not mocked! This is the attire of actors and dancers, that live upon
the stage. Nothing of this sort becomes a modest woman, who should be
adorned “with shamefacedness and sobriety.”

Imitate not therefore the
courtesans. For by such a dress they allure their many lovers; and
hence many have incurred a disgraceful suspicion, and, instead of
gaining any advantage from their ornaments, have injured many11861186 He means either by jealousy or temptation. by bearing this character. For as the
adulteress, though she may have a character for modesty, derives no
benefit from that character, in the Day, when He who judges the secrets
of men shall make all things manifest; so the modest woman, if she
contrive by this dress to pass for an adulteress, will lose the
advantage of her chastity. For many have suffered harm by this opinion.
“What can I do,” thou sayest, “if another suspects
me?” But thou givest the occasion by thy dress, thy looks, thy
gestures. It is for this reason that Paul discourses much of dress and
much of modesty. And if he would remove those things which are only the
indications of wealth, as gold, and pearls, and costly array; how much
more those things which imply studied ornament, as painting, coloring
the eyes, a mincing gait, the affected voice, a languishing and wanton
look; the exquisite care in putting on the cloak and bodice, the nicely
wrought girdle, and the closely-fitted shoes? For he glances at all
these things, in speaking of “modest apparel” and
“shamefacedness.” For such things are shameless and
indecent.

Bear with me, I beseech you, for
it is not my aim by this plain reproof to wound or pain you, but to
remove from my flock all that is unbecoming to them. But if these
prohibitions are addressed to those who have husbands, who are rich,
and live luxuriously; much more to those who have professed virginity.
But what virgin, you say, wears gold, or broidered hair? Yet there may
be such a studied nicety in a simple dress, as that these are nothing
to it. You may study appearance in a common garment more than those who
wear gold. For when a very dark colored robe is drawn closely round the
breast with the girdle (as dancers on the stage are attired), with such
nicety that it may neither 434spread into breadth nor shrink
into scantiness, but be between both; and when the bosom is set off
with many folds, is not this more alluring than any silken robes? and
when the shoe, shining through its blackness, ends in a sharp point,
and imitates the elegance of painting, so that even the breadth of the
sole is scarce visible—or when, though you do not indeed paint
the face, you spend much time and pains on washing it, and spread a
veil across the forehead,11871187 μετὰ τοῦ
μετώπου.
The reading is suspected, but it seems to mean, “so as to make
one effect with the forehead.” whiter than
the face itself—and above that put on a hood,11881188 φάρος. of which the blackness may set off the
white by contrast—is there not in all this the vanity of dress?
What can one say to the perpetual rolling of the eyes? to the putting
on of the stomacher; so artfully as sometimes to conceal, sometimes to
disclose, the fastening? For this too they sometimes expose, so as to
show the exquisiteness of the cincture, winding the hood entirely round
the head. Then like the players, they wear gloves so closely fitted,
that they seem to grow upon the hands: and we might speak of their
walk, and other artifices more alluring than any ornament of gold. Let
us fear, beloved, lest we also hear what the Prophet said to the Hebrew
women who were so studious of outward ornament; “Instead of a
girdle, thou shalt be girded with a halter, instead of well-set hair,
baldness.” (Isa. iii. 24, Sept.) These things
and many others, invented only to be seen and to attract beholders, are
more alluring than golden ornaments. These are no trifling faults, but
displeasing to God, and enough to mar all the self-denial of
virginity.

Thou hast Christ for thy
Bridegroom, O virgin, why dost thou seek to attract human lovers? He
will judge thee as an adulteress. Why dost thou not wear the ornament
that is pleasing to Him; modesty, chastity, orderliness, and sober
apparel? This is meretricious, and disgraceful. We can no longer
distinguish harlots and virgins, to such indecency have they advanced.
A virgin’s dress should not be studied, but plain, and without
labor; but now they have many artifices to make their dress
conspicuous. O woman, cease from this folly. Transfer this care to thy
soul, to the inward adorning. For the outward ornament that invests
thee, suffers not that within to become beautiful. He that is concerned
for that which is without, despises that which is within, even as he
that is unconcerned about the exterior, bestows all his care upon the
interior. Say not, “Alas! I wear a threadbare garment, mean
shoes, a worthless veil; what is there of ornament in these?” Do
not deceive thyself. It is impossible, as I said, to study appearance
more by these than by costlier dresses; especially when they are
close-fitted to the body, fashioned to an immodest show, and of shining
neatness.11891189 So B. (doubtful reading). Thou excusest thyself to me, but
what canst thou say to God, who knows the heart and the spirit with
which thou doest these things? “It is not done for
fornication!” Perhaps not, but for admiration; and dost thou not
blush for shame to be admired for such things? But thou sayest,
“It is but chance I am so dressed, and for no motive of this
kind.” God knoweth what thou sayest to me: is it to me thou must
give account? Nay, it is to Him who is present at thy actions, and will
one day inquire into them, to whom all things are naked and open. It is
on this account that we now urge these things, that we may not let you
be amenable to those severe judgments. Let us fear, therefore, lest He
reprove you in the words of the Prophet to the Jewish women.
“They come to be seen of me wantoning and mincing as they go, and
making a tinkling with their feet.” (Isa. iii. 16.)

Ye have taken upon you a great
contest, where wrestling, not ornament is required; where the battle
awaits you, not sloth and ease. Observe the combatants and wrestlers in
the games. Do they concern themselves about their walk or their dress?
No, but scorning all these, and throwing about them a garment11901190 See
on Stat. Hom. i. 16. dripping with oil, they look only to one
thing, to wound, and not be wounded. The devil stands grinding his
teeth, watching to destroy thee every way, and thou remainest
unconcerned, or concerned only about this satanic ornament. I say
nothing about the voice, though much affectation is shown in this also,
nor about perfumes, and other such luxuries. It is for these things we
are ridiculed by the women of the world. The respect for virginity is
lost. No one honors a virgin as she ought to be honored. They have
given occasion to their own dishonor. Ought not they to be looked up to
in the Church of God, as women coming from heaven? but now they are
despised, and deservedly, though not those among them who are discreet.
But when one who has a husband and children, and presides over a
household, sees thee, who ought to be crucified to the world, more
devoted to the world than herself, will she not ridicule and despise
thee? See what care! what pains! In thy humble dress, thou exceedest
her who wears the costliest ornament, and art more studious of
appearance than she who is arrayed in gold. What is becoming to thee
thou seekest not; that which misbecomes thee thou pursuest, when thou
oughtest to be occupied in good works. On this account virgins are less
honored than women of the world. For they do not perform 435works worthy of their
virgin profession. This is not said to all; or rather it is said to
all; to those who are in fault, that they may learn modesty; to those
who are free from blame, that they may teach modesty to others. But
beware lest this rebuke be verified in deed. For we have not said these
things that we may grieve, but that we may correct you, that we may
glory in you. And may we all do those things which are acceptable to
God, and live to His glory, that we may obtain the blessings promised
by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom,
&c.